Electric cigar lighter



Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,720

w. c. GRUNOW ET AL ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER Filed June 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. C. GRUNOW ET AL ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,720

Filed Jpge 21. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Patented Oct. 30,1928.

UNITEDQS/TATES I 1,689,720 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. ennnow, or CHICAGO, AND OWEN E. GRIGSBY, or PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNORS r GRIGSBY-GBUNOW-HINDS '00., or cmcaeo, rLLmoIs, A conrona- TION OF ILLINOIS.

Application filed June 21,

Our invention relates to electric cigar lighters, being directed more particularly to devices of the above character adapted for use on automobiles or other places where a spring retracted cord and heating element may be employed.

There are various objects to our invention, one of themIbeing the provision of an improved device of the above character which is compact, simple ofconstruction, positive inoperation and which may be readily applied in' various Ways, such as to the dash through an opening therein, or to the steering column. y There are various features and advantages in construction and operation of our improved device, which will be more particularly pointed out in the ensuing part of the specification and appended clalms.

For a better understanding of our invention reference is to be had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which i Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of our invention asmounted on the dash; V

Fig. 2 is. a'v'ertical longitudinal section through a portion of the device, but with one of the side disks of the casing removed and showing the outside of the reel spool;

' Fig. 3 isa view similar to a portion of Fig. 2, showing the other side ofthe reel spool with the Wiping'contact which is controlledby the hea'tingelement to open the circuit when the heating element is retracted; -Fig. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of the heating element; Fig. 5 is a rear view of Fig.4; I

.Fig. 6 is a front view of Fgwl in section 5 through'the ring 44 and ferrule with-the 4 washers 4243 removed; 1

Fig. 6 is a front view of Fig. 4; Fig. *7 is a s'ectionalview along line .77 of Fig. 2;. Fig.8. shows] steering column, and 7,

Fig.1) is a perspective view of the clamp used for applying the device to the steering column I v Referring now more in detail to the form of our invention'as shownherein, it comprises a suitable reel spool preferably spring retracted and including side flanges 101l suitably ribbed tostrengthen them and insulatingly mounted ona spool hub in the the device attached to. the

-ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER.

. 1924. Serial No. 721,530.

forinofa metallic sleeve or tube 12. The insulating mounting is preferably accomplished by using a fibre sheet13 in the form of a sleeve inserted between the spool flanges 10-11 and the sleeve 12, as indicated in Fig. 17. The flanges 10--11 are pressed on over the insulating sleeve 13, so as to be rigidly and tightly held on the tube 12.

The entire spool, including its sleeve hub 12,1s rotatable in the casing and to this end the casing is made up of opposite but l ke disk portions 14-1-5 formed up of sheet metal and having central bearings 14 and 15, pressed inwardly to support the ends of the sleeve 12 and on which this sleeve is freely rotatable. The disk 14: is preferably integral With the ring 20 but: the disk 15 is removable or separate cap. A separator tube 16"is provided to assist in holding the casing sides apart and rigid, so that the spool sleeve may readily rotate on its bearings. To

fasten the casing sides we preferablyuse a rod 17 extending through the separator tube and having nuts 18 threaded thereon so as to clamp the "elements 1415 against. the

ends of the separator tube. Thus a very firm and rigid structure is provided, but at the same time permitting a ready rotation of the spool.

The spool being preferably spring re 7 tracted, weprovide a very effective construction for this purpose by inserting a retractmg spring 19 between the separator tube 16 and spool hub 12, one end of this spring being secured by passing throughan opening in the casing 'disk 14, and the other end of the spring being secured to the spool by extending through the sleeve 12 thereof.

, The casing which includes a peripheral element in the form of the said tubular portion 20 has an opening cuttherein from points 21 to 22, as indicated in Fig. 2, to permit the cord and heating element extension to pass through. Over this opening is secured an angular box-like section 23, formed up of sheet metal and attached to the peripheral casing member 20 by rivets 24. This section 23 has a tube 25- secured thereto, saidtube being shouldered'at 25, and then turned over on its inner end 25 so as to securely fasten the tube to thecasing. The clamping nuts 2627 are threaded onto this sleeve 25, the outer nut 27 being in the form of a ferrule member to give a finished appearance to the outside of the device and alsoprovide a smooth rounded surface over which the cord is drawn.

Referring again to the reel spool, a conductor cord 28 is shown wound thereon, being preferably a two-strand conductor, the inner ends of which extend through the spool flanges and are suit-ably electricallyconnected therewith, preferably by soldering, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 7.

In order to provide an electrical connection with this conductor 28 we apply wipers or contacts for engagement with the side of the spool flanges. These contacts are flat spring bronze members, one of which also acts as a switch to open and close the circuit of the lighting element as it is pulled from into the socket or tube 25.

the reel and restored. This latter contact member 29 shown in Figs; 8 and 7 is preferably of such a shape as will give it greater length and resiliency, being insulatinoly fastened at one end to the casing tube 20. as indicated in 7 and carrying a binding post 29 to which the incoming current conductor is attached. This contact 20 has a projecting portion 29 adapted to contact with the flange 10 of the spool when the heating element is drawn out, but which portion 29 is disengaged from the flange when the heating element is seated as indicated in Fig. 7. Thls operation. of the contact is brought about by the insulated extension 29 which is engaged by the rounded end of the heating element extension as it restores to its. seat, as indicated in Fig.7. When the heating element is drawn out it disengages from the tip 29 and allows the contact portion 29 to engage the spool and thus closes the circuit. The other strand of the reel conductor which is shown connected to the spool flange 11 and has a contact 80 resting against its side as indicated in Figs. 2 and 7, so as to be in wiping contact therewith. This contact is also insulatingly attached to the casing tube 20 and carries a binding post 30 grounded to the frame and to which the other incoming conductor is attached.

' We find that if desired, contact wiper 30 maybe dispensed with as with binding post 80- grounded to the frame, it is only, necessary to connect the corresponding conductor of 28 directly to tube 12 and thus the circuit extends through the frame of the device on one side.

Now as to the lighting element andholder of a metallic tube 31 drawn together at its inner end 31 so as to provide a cam surface for operating the contact spring 29 and also permita moreready entry of the holder 31 This tube 81 carries a block 32, preferably of insulating mate rial as fibre, so that the block may be forc ed into the tube 81 with one of the terminals of the conductor 28 between the wall of sleeve 31 and the block 32, thereby providing an intimate contact l etween sleeve 31 and the conductor so as to extend the electrical connection to the lighting unit, as will be described. the insulating block 32 also carries a metallic sleeve 34 adapted to receive a binding screw by which the other strand of the conductor 28 is fastened, so. as to extend the circuit through to the heating unit, as will be described. In order to more firmly hold the block 32 in position the sleeve 31 has several indentations 31 made therein, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 7.

N ow as to the lighting element, which more clearly shown in the enlarged views Figs. 4, 5 and 6, we provide a suitable base 36 of insulating material, preferably porcelain, having an undulating face 36 on which theresistance element 37, preferably in the form of a suitable wire, is placed. This wire 3'? is extended back and forth so as to provide a suitable surface for lighting a cigar or cigarette, one end of the wire extending down through the recess 36 of the block beneath the head of the central terminal screw 38. This screw passes through the block 36 and is secured by a nut 39, the end of the screw 38 being adapted to thread into the sleeve 34% to attach the heating unit to the holder sleeve 31. The other end of the resistance wire 37 passes through a slot 36 in the periphery of the porcelain block 36 and is clamped between the metallic sleeve 40 and contact plate 41. which is in electrical engagement with the sleeve 31. The metallic sleeve 4:0 serves to hold the parts of the lighting unit together, the outer curled edge resting against a metallic washer d2 with an insulating washer 43, preferably of mic: positioned between the washer 42 and resistance wire 37, thereby insulating the wire 37 from the metal sleeve 40. The rear contact plate 4-1 is sheared so as toprovide yielding contact fingers 41, which engage the edge of the holder tube 31ers the element is threaded on so as to ei'l'ect'a more intimate contact between these parts 31- 41. An insulating cover for the heat element is provided, also acting as a heat shielding handle 4.4:, bywhich'it may be grasped when it is to be pulled from the socket for use. This outer or protective covering 4:4 is assembled with the inner elements by shellacing the inner face thereof and forcing the sleeve 40 therein. Of course, the base 36 and heating wire 37 with the washers on opposite sides of base 36 are assembled in the sleeve {i0 before it is placed in the protective covering 44, by putting these elements into the sleeve 40 and spinning the inner end over the contact washertl to hold the parts firmly together.

Thus a simple but effective heating unit is provided, which may be readily removed for repair or replacement by unscrewing it from the holder.

The circuit from the rear conductor 28 to the resistance wire 37 extends from one strand of the conductor to the shield or sleeve 31 of the holder, through this shield 31 to washer 41, over wire 36 to the central terminal post 88, sleeve 34 to the other or lower strand of conductor 28. e

It will be apparent from the above that when the incoming or feed wires are attached to the binding posts of contacts 29-30, the circuit extends through these wiper contacts to the metal flanges of the reel spool, then through the reel conductor 28 to the lighting unit. Normally this circuit is open by reason of contact point 29 being disengaged from the flange 10 of the spool, but as soon as the heating unit is pulled from'its socket the cam portion31 of the lighter sleeve leaves the extension 29 allowing contactpoint 29 to engage the spool flange 10 to close the circuit. The resistance unit then, of course, becomes lighted and upon restoring the element to its socket the circuit is again interrupted when the sleeve portion 31 engages the extension 29 and lifts contact point 29' from electrical engagement with the spool flange.

What We claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: l. A device of the character described comprising a spring retracted reel spool with cord wound thereon and having a conductor ring, a contact in wiping engagement with the ring and circuit with the cord, a lighting element connected with the cord and retract- 'ed by the winding of the cord on the spool, and means engaged by the element when retracted for disengaging the wiping contact and ring to open the circuit of the element.

2 A device of the character described comprising a spring retracted reel spool with cord wound thereon, said spool including metallic side flanges insulatingly mounted on the hub and acting as conductor rings and to which one end of said cord is connected, a pair of contacts each one of which is in wiping engagement with the outslde face of one with the other end of the cord and retracted by the winding of the cord on the spool, and means engaged by the element when retracted for interrupting the connection between one of said wiping contacts and spool face to open the circuit of the element.

3. In a cigarlighter of the character de scribed, a lighting unit comprising a circular flat base-block of suitable insulating ma 'terial, a resistance element distributed over the front face thereof having one terminal connected-to a central binding post extending from the rear face of the block and the other terminalextending through the block over the rear face of the block, a metallic terminal plate positioned against the rear face of the blockin contact Withsaid other terminal of the element, and a metallic tubular enclosure over the outside of the block curled over the of the flanges, a lighting element connected front face to hold the element in place and over the outside of the block curled over the front face to hold the element in place and over the rear to hold the rear terminal plate,

and a heat-proof insulating sleeve surrounding the metallic enclosure into which the latter is pressed'and whereby the unit may be grasped when used. V

Inwitness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 28 day of May, 1924.

1 WILLIAM C. GRUNOW.

OWEN'E. GRIGSBY. 

